And I think I've finally decided to dedicate the Yixing teapot I got two years ago to the greener oolongs like TGY. It somehow makes the tea more pleasant to drink than from gaiwan, without taking away the flavours. I don't know how to express it, but the texture of the liquid somehow seems different...

Off this evening to see Annie Get Your Gun at the stunning (new last year) Clayton Performing Arts Center, Maryville, TN. Son John plays the real-life romantic lead, Frank Butler, who married Annie Oakley. They were married something like 46 years and he died within 3 weeks of her demise.

I have to work this weekend, but still am going to have a good time with fireworks on Monday.

And I woke up early enough this morning to start my day with a luxuriously slow session with 'Aoi' sencha from O-Cha, brewed in my Petr Novak kyusu, and drunk from the new Seigan translucent blue glaze hagi cup, home for a crackling check-up.

Not sure if breakfast will be toast with jam or toast with honey or both, and some of this lovely melon:

Began with Kiku Mukashi Matcha (O'Cha), then a Saemidori shincha from Kagoshima (Thés du Japon), followed after lunch by an incredible Ge Xin Long Bulang 2011 (sample) and last but not least a wonderful "Heaven's Scent 2010" dan cong from Master Lin (Postcard Teas). I wish all day could be like this one !

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Last edited by David R. on Jul 3rd, '11, 06:01, edited 1 time in total.

I just brewed up my 3rd tea of the day--after a sencha start, moved on to some of my favorite Tie Guan Yin, then napped long enough to let the Da Yu Ling 105K Cold Brew High-mountain Oolong from Dragon Tea House steep so I could drink it cold-brewed. Or rather, room temperature brew. It was astonishingly sweet--I had used a bit much leaf and had to dilute it a little to be really properly palatable. I'm going to try for a second steep.

ETA: still thirsty, so broken into the other 'cold brew' of some 2010 Spring Yong De White Buds - Sun Dried White Tea, with a coupld of Chrysanthemum blossoms added. Quite tasty, sweet, with their camphorousness intact, mmm. But I can see that for days like this I may need to dedicate a larger pitcher to cold-brewing of teas, now that I've better figured out how to brew them so I enjoy it, so I don't end up like this--still thirsty but have to wait hours for the next batch to be ready!

I've been drinking kokeicha all day. According to the package it's matcha that has been formed into noodles, so it basically looks like threads of matcha. And hoo boy, it is GOOD! First time I've ever tried it... I got it at Mitsuwa Marketplace in New Jersey, in case anyone lives in that area and wants to get it.

Didn't really do much today-- there's a carnival in town for the 4th of July festivities, so I went to that but didn't go on any rides because the tickets were too expensive. I just kind of wandered around. Also, I've been making sock kitties. They're like sock monkeys, but...kitties. And they're incredibly addictive to make.